When we are released from the shelter, it takes our eyes days to adjust to the light. We have been told that we can stay in our town but we have to rebuild with what is available, whatever is available.
Everything is melted. The first blast melted everything. The second blast sent everything shimmering and threw everything in every direction. The first blast was the hurricane. The second blast was the tornado. There was a light blue mist in the air that we knew was killing us, a radioactive wind that was entering our bodies if we stayed. We knew that everything would be radioactive. I knew that I was going to be radioactive if I stayed. We needed to stay, even if our mothers were gone in a country we could not pronounce, in a city that we were not allowed to know about. All the mothers in the whole land were gone. Those of us that were old enough stood in for the mothers. Every woman over 18 had to sign up for the draft, it was the law. Men had to stay behind and protect the home, protect the domestic land, to make sure America kept moving forward in spite of the war, in spite of the bombs.

But Mrs. President don't you understand what you are doing sending women off to war,

Mrs. President don't you understand what you are doing

Mrs. President please we do not mean to disrespect you but

We mean no disrespect

Mrs. President, are you sure you want every woman to go to war

Mrs. President with all due respect what are you doing